The Way Home
by Jenny-Joy
Summary: Ron has been 'assumed dead' for 5 years, but Hermione will not give up! She and Ginny goes on a trip around the world trying to find him, but what they find shocks them...........
1. Abigail & Alice

The 24-year old witch Abigail Warden sat down at a little round table in The Three Broomsticks, to get something to drink, while waiting for her new client.  
  
She was a detective. People hired her to follow somebody, or to find long lost family. Last week a woman, who needed help to find somebody, had contacted her. She had wanted to stay anonymous, because "if he finds out, I'm looking for him, he will just.. Not let me find him" Yes, that was what the woman, "Alice", had said in the phone.  
  
To Abigail this seemed to be the same old story. 'Alice' had had a relationship to this 'he', she'd broken up with him, and he was heartbroken, never wanting to see her again. And now she had realized she had made a mistake, and wanted a second chance.  
  
"Yes, that's probably it" Abigail said to herself. She had been doing this so many years, so she knew all the stories.  
  
"Abigail Warden?"  
  
Abigail looked up, at a young woman, supposedly her own age.  
  
"Yes" she said, smiling. "'Alice'?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Sit down, Alice" Abigail pointed to a chair at the table. Alice sat down, she looked slightly nervous. "Tell me your story"  
  
Alice bit her lip, and started to say something. "Well, eh, we, me and."  
  
Suddenly Abigail recognized Alice.  
  
"Oh my God! Hermione Granger?"  
  
Alice's head shot up and she looked closely at Abigail.  
  
"Well. eh, yes. Who are you?" Hermione said, not recognizing Abigail.  
  
"It's me, Ginny.. Ron's sister"  
  
"Ginny Weasley?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"But, why.."  
  
".am I Abigail Warden?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"To protect my privacy. But why in the world, would you.. Hermione! We haven't seen you for like 5 years, since. why, what are you doing here?" Ginny said. She thought of every reason Hermione would have to hire a detective, but she couldn't.. "You are looking for Ron, right?" it suddenly hid her. What else?  
  
Hermione stared down at the table, refusing to look up at her old friend.  
  
"Hermione, he's dead. You know he is. Why would you.."  
  
"No, I don't!" Hermione had suddenly raised her head, and now looked straight into Ginny's eyes. "We never found out for sure. Everybody just assumed!"  
  
Ginny looked closely at Hermione. She was right, they did just assume. But there was no way he would have survived an attack like that. Even Ginny, naïve Ginny, was sure of that.  
  
Hermione had always been so down-to-earth, and now she was filling her head and heart with hopes that would just be shattered. Again.  
  
Suddenly Ginny remembered what Hermione has said on the phone, when she still thought the woman was 'Alice', "If he finds out, I'm looking for him, he will just.. Not let me find him" That didn't quit fit into this thing.  
  
"Hermione, what you said on the phone, is not what you're saying right now"  
  
"I didn't know you were Ginny, and, well, nobody would've helped me if I said that I was looking for a dea. assumed dead man, would they now? I don't think so" Hermione said, anger rising in her voice. "Well, will you help me or what. God, Ginny, you're his sister! How could you all give up so easily?" tears started to show in Hermione's brown eyes.  
  
Ginny was taken aback by Hermione's suddenly outburst. Before she had sounded slightly confused, then angry, and now she was on the verge of crying.  
  
"It wasn't like that, Hermione. We didn't 'just give up' you know, you were there. We all were. And we searched for Ron everywhere for 14 months, even though we all knew in our hearts, that he was gone forever.. "  
  
"I didn't"  
  
"Everyone, except you then. And Hermione, we all have missed you a lot. Why did you just disappear like that, when we stopped trying? You didn't have to"  
  
"Because I was angry at you all, for giving up! I still am. can't you just say, if you'll help me or not"  
  
Ginny looked closely at Hermione. Hermione and Ron had been together only 1 year, when Harry was attacked by some You-Know-Who follower, and Ron had been there, and the follower had done some.. Horrible things to Ron and Harry, and then had taken Ron, and let Harry be. Why, nobody knew. It was usually Harry they were after. After that the whole family including Harry and Hermione had searched, they really had, 14 months, but it was easily to see that he couldn't have survived that, and they stopped. They couldn't do more. And then Hermione left, and never wrote or anything again. And now she was here, right in front of her.  
  
Ginny sighed. Hermione was her friend, and it would seem like she didn't love her, or Ron, if she wouldn't help her. And that was not the case.  
  
"Of course I'll help you, Hermione. We were friends remember? I hope we still are. But you have to do one thing for me. Come home with me, and say hello to everybody. We've all really missed you. Specially Harry. He lost his two best friends within 14 months of each other. please"  
  
Hermione hesitated a little, but then said, "Okay"  
  
The two witches left the Three Broomsticks, to go to the Burrow.  
  
To be continued. 


	2. Back To The Burrow

Hermione followed Ginny to the Burrow in silence. Ginny tried a couple of times to start a conversation,  
  
"So, Hermione, what have you been up to these last year"  
  
"Working"  
  
"Oh, still a muggle doctor?"  
  
"Hmm.."  
  
It quickly became obvious to Ginny that Hermione's thoughts were elsewhere. And so the rest of the way neither said anything.  
  
Until they were standing in front of the Burrow. Voices could be heard from inside, and a wonderful smell of food. "So, we're here" Ginny said, and looked at Hermione, who looked slightly pale.  
  
"We are indeed" Hermione answered, and nodded her head a little. "And why is that, Ginny?"  
  
Ginny was taking aback by this question. Hadn't she told her at The Three Broomsticks? "Well, because you're like a part of this family, Hermione. We've missed you. And we've been very worried about you. That's why"  
  
"Okay. Let's go inside then" Hermione said in a voice that reminded Ginny of a I-don't-care-I'm-totally-cold tone. But Hermione's face didn't match that. She was nervous, no doubt.  
  
"Don't worry. They're not gonna kill you." Ginny said and padded her on the back, and knocked the door.  
  
Ginny heard footsteps inside, recognisable her mothers.  
  
"Ginny, darling. How nice to see you sweetheart. I can't believe you haven't been home for 3 days darling, that's a little long, don't you think" her mother said excitedly, first then noticing that Ginny wasn't alone.  
  
"Oh, you brought a friend with you. Hi I'm Ginny's mother, Molly Weasley, and you?"  
  
Hermione accepted Mrs. Weasley's hand, and looked her in the eyes. Then it hit Mrs. Weasley that the girl in front of her was, without a doubt, Hermione Granger.  
  
"Hermione! Oh, Hermione dear!"  
  
Mrs. Weasley pulled Hermione in for a hug, and Ginny saw a tear roll down her face, "Sweetheart, we've been so very worried about you! Where have you been. no that can wait. Come in, girls. Oh, Hermione, I can't believe it's really you"  
  
Ginny was pleased to see that Hermione had shed a tear too. And that there was a little smile on her face.  
  
Mrs. Weasley led the girls to the living room, and Ginny and Hermione sat down around the table, and Mrs. Weasley was standing in the kitchen preparing dinner or something. There was an awkward silence, which Ginny found pretty embarrassing. She then turned to her mother, who had come in from the kitchen with dinner, all teary-eyed. "Mum, where is everybody" though all her brothers, and herself, had moved out, they very often came home with their families, Harry did too, and they were there always at the weekends. And it was Friday afternoon, so it was kinda unusually.  
  
"Oh, your father should be home from work any minute. Your brothers should show up soon. They always come around dinnertime, darling" her mum said, looking at the clock. She then looked at Hermione. "They're going to be so happy to see you Hermione. It's gonna be such a surprise. I can't wait." she then bend down and hugged Hermione again.  
  
Whatever feeling Hermione had been holding back suddenly came through, as she throw her arms around Mrs. Weasley, and just cried and cried. "Oh, it's alright darling. Just get it out" Mrs. Weasley said, and stroke Hermione gently over the hair, that was not as bushy as it used to be.  
  
Ginny smiled and suddenly everything seemed to be a lot easier than just 10 minutes ago. Of course she would help Hermione, of course. And maybe, just maybe, there was hope. Maybe Ron wasn't dead like the thought, but just trapped out there somewhere, just waiting to be saved, and maybe.. But it was like there was a silent agreement between Hermione and herself to not tell Mrs. Weasley, or anybody else for that matter, what was to happen. No false hope. Her mother wouldn't be able to handle it. Losing a son had been hard for her, but she had got through it, and there was no reason to get her hopes up. It was only 'maybe'  
  
Suddenly the watch said 'click' and Ginny saw her fathers face point to 'home' and a second later she could she him in the kitchen.  
  
'Hello Molly, are they kids home yet" he yelled, and started taking his shoes of. Mrs. Weasley went to the kitchen, leaving Hermione on the couch dubbing her eyes with a tissue.  
  
"Ginny is dear, and you won't believe it. Hermione! Ginny heard her mum say, and she could just imagine the look her on her dad's face right now.  
  
"Hermione. Hermione. Ron's Hermione?"  
  
"Of course dear. Who else do we know named Hermione, beside Ronald's Hermione?  
  
Ginny wished they would stop saying 'Ron or Ronald's Hermione' it sounded like he was still alive. 'Maybe he is' a little evil voice said in her head, but she brushed it of.  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
Mr. Weasley was now standing in the living room, facing Hermione. Ginny didn't mind that he didn't say anything to her. After all, she was her like every weekend, and some weekdays too, so she saw them often enough.  
  
"Hello Mr. Weasley" Hermione said shyly, and smiled. "It's good to see you"  
  
Mr. Weasley just shook his head a little, and then pulled Hermione up from the couch, and hugged her tightly.  
  
"Arthur, stop. The poor girl need air" Mrs. Weasley said, and Mr. Weasley let go of her.  
  
"It is so good to see you again Hermione, and you to Ginny, of course, what have you been up to all these years Hermione? why haven't you... Oh, I can hear the boys Molly. It's probably Fred and George, they're always first. I do hope they have Lynn and Laura with them this time"  
  
Ginny sat down next to Hermione, and whispered in her ear, "if dad's right and it is Fred and George who're home now, you better be ready for a big welcome home party"  
  
To Be Continued.. 


	3. Welcome Back, Hermione!

Ginny heard the door open and a loud "HELLO FOLKS" that defiantly belonged to her brother, George. It could be Fred though.  
  
She saw Fred and George enter the living room, from her spot on the couch, and to her parents delight, they had brought their wives Laura and Lynn. Sisters, of course.  
  
"Whassup Ginny, sister dear" Fred said, plumping down beside her, "and hello to you to Hermione…" he said, humming a little before he finally realized what he had just said, "Hermione! Hey, George, Hermione's here"  
  
"Ron's Hermione?" George asked, as he looked at the girl next to Ginny. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Indeed it is. It's party time!!" one of the twins yelled. And both ran to Hermione, and overwhelmed her with disgustingly wet kisses on her cheeks. Hermione looked a bit overwhelmed.  
  
"Hello, Fred, George" she said, looking down at the floor.  
  
When the twins stormed up-stairs, to get something, Hermione turned to Ginny,  
  
"Ginny, I really don't like that everybody makes such a fuss over me. I don't want to be trouble"  
  
"Don't worry about it, Hermione. Fred and George would have started this crazy party-thing anyway. And mum will probably stop them anyway…"  
  
Hermione nodded and started to say something, when the door again opened and closed, and in stepped Percy Weasley and boyfriend Oliver Wood, followed seconds after by Bill and his family, and then Charlie's family. And then the Burrow was yet again full of people and talking. It didn't take long before Hermione had loosened up a bit, and started mingle. When Ginny saw her in a conversation about the right ingredients for a soup with Charlotte, Bill's wife, she thought that it was safe to leave just for ten minutes.  
  
Ginny went up the stairs to her old room, which still stood as if she had never even left it. She took out a piece of parchment and a pen, and started writing a short note.  
  
Dear Harry, I was just wondering why you didn't show up tonight. You said last weekend that you would come again this weekend. What are you doing? Love, Ginny.  
  
She tied the letter to her owl Willy, and sent it of. She then went to the bathroom, and then back to the living room, where everybody was still busy with their things. Her mum had put out some snacks to eat, and so Ginny did. 10 minutes later she went up to her old bedroom again just as Willy flew in with a note.  
  
Dear Ginny, I'm sorry that I didn't come, and even more sorry that I didn't tell you that I couldn't make it. I completely forgot. Oops… The thing is, the team had decided to do some extra training this weekend, and since I am the seeker I have to be here. I hope you have a nice weekend. Love, Harry.  
  
"Damn" Ginny muttered to herself. Harry should be here to celebrate Hermione's returning. They were best friends after all. 'Maybe if I tell him why I think he should be here, he can talk the coach out of his extra-training ideas. Yeah I should do that' So Ginny took out another piece of parchment and quickly wrote:  
  
Harry, I know that Quidditch and the team is very important to you, and I know that the next game is like a matter of life and death to you, but the thing is that Hermione is here. I met her this morning and talked her in to coming here. I think, no I know, that she would love for you to be here. So please, please, try and see if you can quit the training this weekend. Ginny.  
  
Ginny sat patiently on her bed, listening to the voices downstairs, waiting for a reply from Harry. And as she knew he would, Willy flew in her window a little later, with a note that said:  
  
Ginny, if that's the case, you can expect me to be there in 10 minutes… Harry.  
  
Ginny smiled and hid the parchment in the old drawer, and went downstairs again. Now Hermione was playing with some of the kids. When Ginny looked closer she could see that Hermione was playing with dolls with Bill's girls Katie, Hope and Mackenzie, and Charlie's Shirley.  
  
Hermione loved children, Ginny knew. 'She really should have some of her own. And she has the right age for it too…' she thought. 'Poor Hermione'  
  
As for herself, Ginny was defiantly not ready for children. She did want some one day, but not yet. And she needed to find her true love first. And that was defiantly not that easy.  
  
"Uncle Harry's here!" 5-year old Katie yelled, when she saw Harry's figure from the window. "Yes he is" Harry said when he entered the house, and Katie jumped up in his arms. Harry smiled and clapped her lightly on the long red hair, and then sat her down on the floor again. "You're getting to big" he said to Katie, "you have got to stop growing now!" Harry didn't have kids either, so he have grown a strong bond, God fatherly, bond with the Weasley kids. Especially Katie.  
  
"Hi Hermione" Harry said when he saw her standing in the corner. "Hi Harry" she said, and nodded her head slightly.  
  
There was an awkward silence, until Percy saved the moment and started talking about his job to his parents, and soon everybody was talking again.  
  
"Hermione, it's good to see you again," Harry said, "It's good to see you too Harry. I hear that you're a very successful Quidditch player now" Hermione replied, desperately trying to start a conversation. "True" Harry said. Silence again.  
  
Ginny figured that this weren't going how it should be, when two best friends meet again after 5 years. 'Maybe we should just tell Harry that we're about to travel around the world, looking for Ron, whom we have no idea where is, and not to forget the fact that he's most likely dead. It's not like it could get any worse'  
  
"Hey Harry, Hermione, can I talk to you upstairs?" "Sure" Harry said, and Hermione nodded again, which she seemed to be doing a lot now. Ginny walked up to her old room again, this time with Harry and Hermione behind her. After she had closed the door, Ginny sat on the bed, so did Hermione, and Harry sat on the chair by the desk. Ginny looked at Hermione, then at Harry, "see Harry, the thing is, me and Hermione…."  
  
Hermione coughed.  
  
"…Hermione and I, we need your help with something…"  
  
To Be Continued…. In the next chapter, you will find out what happened to Ron. And Hermione tells Harry and Ginny what she really has been doing the past 5 years… 


	4. Hermione's Secret

I own nothing. All belongs to a woman, you may have heard of her, named J.K. Rowling.  
  
"What do you need my help to?" Harry asked, sounding both worried but also curious.  
  
"Well, the thing is that.." Ginny started, but Hermione interrupted her by putter a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Let me" she said. "Harry, you see, when I met Ginny this morning, it was actually because I had hired Abigail Warden, Gin.."  
  
"Yes, I know that Ginny work as Abigail. But what would you need a detective for?" Harry interrupted her.  
  
"Don't interrupt me Harry, it's not polite. Well, I wanted help to finding Ron."  
  
"Ron. But Hermione, Ron is gone. Dead" Harry said, not showing any emotion at all.  
  
Hermione flinched as the word 'dead' came up. "We don't know that Harry, we don't know that, we don't!!" Hermione said, trying to convince Harry. And probably herself too.  
  
"HE IS, SO STOP THAT BULLSHIT HERMIONE!"  
  
"NO!! WE DON'T KNOW THAT! AND MAYBE."  
  
"Hey you two, please sit down and talk as two grown-ups, please" Ginny said, trying to drag Hermione down on the bed again.  
  
Both Harry and Hermione sat down again, and Harry said calmly,  
  
"Hermione, why can't you just let it be? There's no need to rip open the old wounds, and start bleeding again. It was hard enough the first time. I don't want to go through that again"  
  
Hermione had been looking down at the bed, while Harry had spoken. She looked up, tears in her eyes, "but I never stopped bleeding"  
  
Totally silence. Nobody said anything. The only thing there could be heard was the voices from downstairs, and Hermione's sobs.  
  
After what felt like hours, but only was minutes, Hermione stopped crying, dried her face with her sleeve, and said, "There's something I have to tell you. I know I shouldn't have kept this a secret, and I don't know why I did, but.. I have a child"  
  
Ginny and Harry looked at Hermione stunned, "You mean..?" Harry asked, what Ginny was thinking.  
  
"I mean, we, Ron and I do" she said, tears starting to show in her eyes again.  
  
Ginny had no idea what to say, and was hoping that Harry would, but he didn't say anything. "Her name is Melissa, she's 5 years old now"  
  
"But how can it be Ron's. I mean, he disappeared in August 99, and you left in October 2000. And you weren't pregnant when you were here" Ginny said, trying to figure it all out.  
  
"I found out I was pregnant three months after, you know, and I gave birth in May 2000."  
  
"But.."  
  
"I hid it from you. I was wearing big sweaters and stuff"  
  
"But why would you do that?" Ginny asked.  
  
"I was, I don't know. I was devastated that Ron was gone, and overjoyed about this beautiful little girl that was ours, and everything was a mess. I was a mess, I couldn't handle more than one thing in my life. And I chose Melissa, over searching like crazy over somebody everybody else believed was dead"  
  
"But why are you starting again now?" this was almost too much for Ginny.  
  
"I, Melissa started in muggle school, kindergarden, last month, and she sees how all her friends have a mum and dad, and she only has a mum. You know, she's starting asking about her daddy. Here, last week she said 'mummy, where is my daddy? Why isn't he here and playing with me, like Bella's daddy plays with Bella? Doesn't he love me?' I tell you, I cried like never before. And Melissa was just staring at me with those beautiful blue eyes, and I said, 'of course he loves you sweetie, it's just. he'll be back soon. Very soon, I promise'"  
  
"You promised her that you would find him, even thought you know that he is, most likely, dead" Harry said. The first thing he had said in a long time.  
  
"I, I don't know. I don't. I just.. I love that girl so much, and I can't stand to see her un-happy. And now she asks me everybody when her daddy will come home. I have to try, I just have to!"  
  
Harry was silent, lost in his own thoughts, and Ginny hated the silence, but could find nothing to say. A child. Ron's child. Her mum would be so happy.  
  
"Okay, Hermione. I'll help you. You are my friend. Just remember one thing, though" Harry said,  
  
"What?"  
  
"This is painful for me too"  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"So, you have any picture of your bundle of joy?"  
  
Hermione smiled, and found her purse, and took out a stack of pictures, and sent them to Harry, who passed them to Ginny. "Yep, beautiful child indeed. Very Weasley"  
  
I think I said that you'd found out what happened to Ron in this chapter, didn't I? Well, next chapter then. The thing is, I prefer shorter chapters, and then maybe more of them..  
  
Yeah, I know it's very dragged.. 


End file.
